How To Maintain Wooden Floors
This article gives relevant information on how to maintain wooden floors, it also highlights the pros and cons of this type of flooring as it explains why one should select wooden floors over the other kinds of floors
Babra Adhiambo
Have you been considering using wood for your floor? Well, the type of floor one picks for their home aims to add to the aesthetic value of the entire house. It is the first thing a visitor notices and it portrays an individuals’ sense of style. Different floors have their pros and cons and here are important details regarding this one specific type of floor: The wooden floor.
If you pick the wooden floor as your preference, this information will be relevant regarding how to maintain it, to ensure it lasts for ages.
Spills should be wiped immediately
Liquids when left to soak on the wood might cause discoloration or even damage it. Always ensure that any kind of spills are immediately cleaned.
Use protective window covers
Excess heat causes fading on the wood, therefore, direct sunlight can cause damage to your wood, to reduce such effects, use protective window covers.
Avoid scrating the floor
It is almost impossible to avoid scartches especially in high traffic areas.The beauty of the wood is reduced by scatches.Consider applying anti-scratch felt protector at the bottom of your furniture since they will act as a barrier between your floor and the furniture .To prevent small marks shoes with heavy spikes should be removed before walking on the floor and trim the nails of your pets. Other measures you can put in place include,
- Use a slightly dump mop to clean the floor,wet mops or steam mops over a long period of time damages the finish and the wood.
- Dirt and dust should be cleaned on a daily basis.
- While cleaning, use a microfiber mop and a cleaning spray.
Why Wooden Floors over other types of flooring
Indoor air
Particles like dust and parasites can not be absorbed by wood. Due to this property, wood will ensure freshness in your home unlike other forms of flooring such as carpets that can trap unpleasant odors. If you have a child who has just learned how to crawl, consider using this type of flooring.
Enhances your home interior
Wood is versatile and can blend with every type of decor.
Increases your home value
For those planning to sell their homes, this type of floor will help you to achieve a much more higher sale over other types of floors such as tiles. This type of flooring feature that many home buyers are willing to put their money on.
Variety
Wood comes in different variety from parquet flooring, to bamboo flooring, and different hues and shades this therefore provides a buyer with a variety to choose from depending on your budget and preference.
Easy to restore
With proper maintenance wooden floors can last for ages. You can recoat your wood to make it look new by applying a wood coat finish. This is unlike other types of flooring like carpets that will easily age due to tear and wear.
Short comings
Cupping
Cupping is when the edge of the wood is higher than the center. This occurs as a result of moisture content that makes it to expand gradually and since all the boards are kept together, the expansion will lead to compression.
Limited usage
Cannot be used in areas with high exposure to moisture and spills such as bathrooms. Exposure to water and failure to properly dry it off can result in discoloration, bulking and raised edges.
Temperature
Humidity and variations in temperature easily affect it. In cool and damp weather the wood swells and it shrinks in a warm and dry room.
Noise
Wooden floors become squeaky with time and may produce noise when stepped on. The squeaky sound maybe a nuisance and it might limit the space for moving around freely in the house.
Prone to termite attack
Termite can feed on the wood. This is common with spruce and southern yellow pine. Always watch out for small damages on the floor a termite damage the wood from inside out. Proper selection of wood to be used is key in avoiding such problems.
Types of wood flooring
Bamboo wood flooring-Made from a bamboo plant, the raw bamboo is steamed and boiled to ensure that the sugars and starch preset in the natural plant is removed, it is then machine wove and pressed together to make the flooring.
Laminate flooring is made by compressing fiber board plank which is covered with a photographic of wood with a protective overlay.
Engineered wooden flooring-It consists of three or four layers of wood that is glued together to make a 14mm thick plank. It has 4mm thick reel-wood veneer on top of it that makes it easy to restore in a case where the originally finish gets damaged, scuffed or worn out.
Reclaimed wood flooring-It is a reused timber that has been salvaged.
Parquet flooring-Variations of different wooden blocks are used to create different patterns.
Wood-effect tiles-Compared to laminate wood, wood effect tiles are water proof and more resistant to tear and wear making it ideal for high traffic areas.
Cork flooring-It is made from the bark of an oak tree. Bark which splits around 9 to 15 years periodically is harvested, the cork is then ground up, compressed and formed into sheets that is bonded with resins.
Solid wood flooring-It is made from 18-20mm single piece of wood which is then fitted using a tongue and groove.
